Heater coil mounting arrangement

Abstract

There is disclosed an arrangement for mounting a heating coil relative to a supporting wall of a clothes dryer heater housing. An insulator has a main body portion adapted to secure the heating coil relative thereto and a base portion adapted to be seated in fixed relation to the supporting wall. The base portion has first and second flanges which curve downwardly and outwardly from the insulator. The support wall has two raised tab members which are adapted to define between these tab members and the supporting wall a recessed channel for receiving the first flange of the insulator. The supporting wall further has two spaced apart guide members for engagement with opposite sides of the second flange of the base member to prevent relative lateral movement of the insulator. The supporting wall has a pivotably movable locking flange which is pivotable about a crease located between the two guide members. The locking flange has a hook adapted to move into engagement with the second flange of the insulator to prevent the insulator from being pulled away from the supporting wall surface.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. An arrangement for mounting a heating coil relative to a supporting wall, comprising: a ceramic insulator having a main body portion adapted to secure the heating coil thereto, the insulator having a base portion adapted to be seated in fixed relation to the supporting wall, and the base portion having first and second flanges; and,   the supporting wall having at least one raised tab member defining a receiving channel for receiving the first flange preventing movement of the first flange outwardly away from the supporting wall, a pair of spaced apart guide members for locating the second flange therebetween preventing lateral movement of the second flange relative to the supporting wall, and a pivotably moveable locking flange positioned adjacent the spaced apart guide members, the moveable locking flange having a retracted position permitting insertion of the second flange between the guide members and a locking position engaging the second flange to prevent movement of the second flange outwardly away from the supporting wall.   
     
     
       2. The arrangement for mounting a heating coil relative to a supporting wall of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second flanges of the base portion of the insulator comprise downwardly and outwardly curved flanges extending along the insulator, and two raised tab members each covering an end portions of the first flange. 
     
     
       3. The arrangement for mounting a heating coil relative to a supporting wall of claim 1 wherein the moveable locking flange is pivotably attached to the supporting wall between the guide members and includes a hook shaped finger that engages the top of the second flange when pivoted into the locking position. 
     
     
       4. The arrangement for mounting a heating coil relative to a supporting wall of claim 3 wherein the supporting wall includes a aperture adjacent the locking flange to permit a finger member to pass though the aperture and move the locking flange into the locking position. 
     
     
       5. A heating assembly comprising: a support wall;   a heater coil;   a plurality of insulators having a body portion to which a portion of the heater coil is mounted and having base portion secured in an arcuate path to the support wall, and the base portion having first and second flanges; and,   the supporting wall having at least one raised tab member for each insulator defining a receiving channel for receiving the first flange along a peripheral outside location for the insulator and preventing movement of the first flange outwardly away from the supporting wall, a pair of spaced apart guide members for locating the second flange therebetween preventing lateral movement of the second flange relative to the supporting wall, and a pivotably moveable locking flange positioned adjacent the spaced apart guide members, the moveable locking flange having a retracted position permitting insertion of the second flange between the guide members and a locking position engaging the second flange to prevent movement of the second flange outwardly away from the supporting wall.   
     
     
       6. The arrangement for mounting a heating coil relative to a supporting wall of claim 5 wherein each of the first and second flanges of the base portion of the insulator comprise downwardly and outwardly curved flanges extending along the insulator, and two raised tab members each covering an end portion of the first flange. 
     
     
       7. The arrangement for mounting a heating coil relative to a supporting wall of claim 5 wherein moveable locking flange is pivotably attached to the supporting wall between the guide members and includes a hook shaped finger that engages the top of the second flange when pivoted into the locking position. 
     
     
       8. The arrangement for mounting a heating coil relative to a supporting wall of claim 7 wherein the supporting wall includes a aperture adjacent the locking flange to permit an object to pass though the aperture and move the locking flange into the locking position.